The sporting goods market is worth approximately 11 billion euros. It has now surpassed pre-Covid levels in a testament to the industry’s good health and France’s appetite for sport.
Long-lasting trends have been identified with a strong impact on the market. Women represent approximately 35% of market share, practicing running and fitness activities such as yoga. They now represent a new target for sport stakeholders, who are in turn adapting their offerings.
Nonetheless, high demand for clothing, equipment and machines places pressure on supply chains. The sports industry is no exception and supply chains have been hit with longer delivery times, reflected in the now familiar image of packed container ships. The shortage of semiconductors for smart goods is another example of issues faced by all sectors, including the sports industry.
France has maintained its sports economy through innovative manufacturing, a physical distribution network that unites the country, and expanding services. Businesses like Babolat, Cornilleau, Beuchat Int, Petzl, the Rossignol Group, Salomon and Decathlon France are deeply rooted in the country and invest in innovation to secure their futures and remain competitive.
French businesses need to be listed and sign contracts in France to continue to innovate and invest alongside stakeholders in sport and the sports community to develop leisure, sports and fitness activities for all.
You can also tune into the first episode of the cycle on the economic and social benefits of major international sports events such as the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with Carole Gomez of the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) and Alexandre Faure of France-Japan Foundation of the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences).
The last episode explored cycling as a day-to-day transport method and its impact on cities, with Union Sport & Cycle and the Paris School of Urban Planning. The episode notably included contributions from Théo Giangreco and Thibaut Mommeja.
Thank you to everyone in the team for dedicating this week’s episodes to the sports economy!
Sport is an economy (too).
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